World Reviewer rating

Riding on Rapa Nui

Tropical beaches. Mystical Moais. Volcanic craters. What a riding vacation on Easter Island lacks in technical challenge, it more than makes up for in sheer exoticism. You’ll be riding South American Criollo horses, generally at a walk, all the better to observe the petroglyphs, caves, and hundreds of Moais statues (the signature mystery of this island) you’ll be passing in the course of your five or seven-day itinerary.

Non-strenuous riding lasts about five hours a day, and you will be camping in tents or suggestive caves most nights with from three to 11 other riders, novice and up.

On horseback, you can follow closely the path of the Moais from their construction sites to their final installation, and you will see more statues than are accessible to tourists relying on wheeled transportation.

The best month to go is September, but anytime between October and early April is okay, provided you don’t mind the southeast trade winds. Hidden Trails is one of the better-known organizers of Easter Island excursions.